Game Setting Information
Argos the Blue
Cultural Overview
It is often said that every Argosean has two mistresses: the sea and commerce. Argos is the wealthiest of the Three Cities and takes great pride in her material riches. It also has the best navy of the Middle Sea; every noble or soldier from Argos is a seasoned sailor. The favorite color of Argosean Nobles is blue – the color of the sea and the open sky; their favorite patron deities are Hermes, god of trade, and (of course) Poseidon, king of the sea.
Current Affairs
The current king of Argos is Argon the Proud, a very old (and slightly senile) monarch who has sired more than twenty daughters in his life – but only two sons: the reckless and romantic Prince Argan and the more practically-minded Prince Kyros. King Argon’s rulership is now purely symbolic; the affairs of the realm are firmly in the hands of his various advisers and ministers. Argon’s eldest son and heir apparent, Prince Argan became an adventurer some ten years ago, gaining glory in various heroic quests and ventures. Nobody has heard from Prince Argan since he sailed away two years ago, on yet another heroic expedition to the faraway shores of Charybdis... Since then, Argon’s other son, the (very) ambitious Prince Kyros has been playing the part of the heir apparent and has gained growing political support from some of the most prominent members of the Argosean aristocracy.
Yet, despite his absence and his obvious lack of interest for rulership, the valorous Prince Argan still has staunch supporters among the local nobles and has always been immensely popular with the common people of Argos...
Given his ambition and love of power, Kyros could well persuade his declining father that Argan is dead, which would logically make him the legitimate heir to the crown of Argos. But what would happen if Argan did return to Argos to find his dear brother sitting on the throne? In the meantime, Argos continues to busy itself with its two great passions: trade and the sea. Under Argon’s long reign, Argos has established several overseas colonies on the shores of Midia and has become the first commercial power of the Middle Sea. Under the joint protection of Hermes and Poseidon, Argosean merchants even manage to trade with the isolationist Sea Princes of Tritonis and have become a common sight in the fabled city of Kandaria, cosmopolitan gateway to the Land of the Sun... Meanwhile, bold Argosean explorers venture into the Typhon Sea and the great Western Ocean in search of glory, wonder and gold.
Founding Myth
Unlike the “Us First!” primacy of the other two cities, Argoseans are happy in the belief that Argos was the last of the Three Cities to be founded. Legend has it that Argos it came into being the day that a philosopher from Thena and a warrior from Heraklia happened to meet one morning at the seashore.
The two entered into a discussion about which city was superior and argued for hours. It was well into the afternoon, with no end in sight, when a merchant named Argo happened by the pair. By then both the philosopher and the warrior were thirsty and hungry, and each offered to buy wine and food from the merchant. Seeing that he had two enemies who wanted the same goods, Argo played the two against each other and turned a tidy profit while managing to tweak the egos of both.
Argo used a portion of these profits to establish a small trading centre at the site of his “victory” over Thena and Heraklia. As word of his triumph spread, more and more merchants who sought a neutral place to conduct their business came to Argo’s to trade. In time, many of these merchants opened their own businesses and soon the city grew to include the surrounding farms and fields.
Yet always was the sea the focus of Argos, as every merchant worth his salt knows that goods from distant lands bring the most return on investment.
The grandson of Argo, Avatos the Blue, was the first King of Argos. He made it his primary goal to form a strong navy to defend the sea trade that had lead to the success of his grandfather’s little village. The blue-sailed ships of the Argosean imperial fleet first appeared during his reign and continue to plow the waters to this day, blessed by Poseidon himself.
Places of Interest
The Great Market of Argos is the soul of the city and is found on the city’s southern edge, just inland from the docks. It is here that business reigns, and anything that can be bought or sold can be found in at least three of the market stalls.
The House of Athena, located on a hill high above Argos, is an unexpected facet of the city. Though Athena’s influence is relatively weak in Argos, her priests maintain this temple and university here at the vanguard of Minean commerce so that new ideas and discoveries may be added to the general wisdom as soon as they become available.
The Temple of Asclepius, the most advanced “hospital” in all of Minea is located on the city’s eastern edge. Priests of Asclepius, the true doctors of the Age of Heroes, tend to the diseased and dispossessed within the temple walls and house those unfortunates in fine marble dormitories located through the spacious and well-tended grounds. A hero can find no better hope for recovery than in the care of these healers.
The Vineyards of lone, whose wines are renowned throughout all of Mythika is found in the city of Argos.. The grand estate of Lady Ione and her three sons is found on the hill that dominates the city’s centre. Untold wealth lies its these halls, but the grounds are guarded by a pair of trained Griffins, a fabulous gift from Emperor Baraxis of the Land of the Sun.
Notable Personages
Princess Niobe is the first woman to be named the Admiral of the Argosean Fleet. An excellent warrior and sailor, she is the widow of Prince Argan. Rather than adventure with him as normal, she remained in Argos when the prince began his apparently ill-fated expedition due to the illness of her father, Lord Syagros. When the previous Admiral was killed in battle under somewhat mysterious circumstances, Niobe was elevated to the position at the behest of Prince Kyros, who desires her both for her beauty and, perhaps, as a way to lend legitimacy to his own ambitions.
Heirax the Churgeon is a disgraced priest of Asclepius who now maintains a private hospital in the city’s warehouse district. Heirax caters to the shadier individuals who might require the attention of a healer with less than entirely sound scruples.
Bacchios the Vintner, is the fourth son of Lady Ione. Unlike his three elder brothers, he has struck out on his own and is determined to create a wine that is superior even to the best vintages produced by his family’s label (the 294 being considered the finest, due to a perfect mix of warm, sunny days and light rain during the growing season). Bacchios can often be found in the Great Market, seeking barrels of unique foreign woods to use for experimental ageing processes.
Heraklia the Red
Cultural Overview
According to Heraklians, Heraklia is the mightiest of the Three Cities. It is certainly the most martial. The favorite color of Heraklian Nobles is crimson, the color of blood and strength. Their favorite patron deities are Zeus and Ares, the god of war.
Current Affairs
The current king of Heraklia is Thalos the Strong. As most of his predecessors, King Thalos dreams of uniting the Land of the Three Cities into a single nation, but that nation would (of course) be Heraklia, with his own dynasty as the only royal family. These dreams will probably remain just that, since King Thalos lacks the political shrewdness and diplomatic patience that such a formidable endeavour would require... unless Heraklia decides to go to war (once again) with Argos, but this would shatter the Thenan Peace which has guaranteed economic prosperity and political stability in the Land of the Three Cities for more than 60 years.
For the last six decades Heraklian aristocracy has been the theatre of a constant political struggle between two rival factions, respectively known as the Sword and the Shield. Members of the Sword faction are Hegemonists, who think that Heraklia should conquer Argos, Thena and unite the whole Land of the Three Cities into a single Heraklian monarchy, while members of the Shield faction think that the Three Cities should stay united against outside enemies (such as warlike Umbria) but that the Thenan Peace should be replaced by a more militant coalition. Each faction is (more or less officially) supported by one of the two great cults of Heraklia: the cult of Ares for the Sword and the cult of Zeus for the Shield.
Both sides are now turning a very curious eye towards the unprecedented political changes that have recently occurred in Thena – a situation which could well be used by the more warlike Heraklian nobles to persuade their King of taking military action against the current Thenan monarchy “for the greater good” of the Three Cities. Even in times of peace, Heraklia is always preparing for war...
Founding Myth
The founding myth of Heraklia is quite simple and reflects the no-nonsense, martial culture of its proud nobility. According to this tale, Heraklia was founded at the dawn of the Age of Heroes – just like Thena and Argos, but (of course) before them – by a great warrior hero called Heraklion. Blessed with superhuman strength of body and mind, Heraklion was a champion of Ares as well as the general of an invincible army who had won many victories against the sorcerous Autarchs and their monstrous hordes.
When Heraklion saw that he had defeated and conquered all his foes and there were no enemies left to fight, he decided to settle down with his army and build a great fortress in the honor of Ares... but Heraklion proved (quite unsurprisingly) a very warlike ruler, as befits to all true devotees of Ares, and found himself unable (or unwilling) to maintain a lasting peace with his neighbors - including the fledgling cities of Thena and Argos. This greatly upset Athena (patron goddess of Thena) and Hermes (patron god of Argos), who eventually called for the arbitration of Zeus himself. After hearing their pleas, Zeus admonished Ares for his constant warmongering and ordered Heraklion and his followers to take a solemn oath.
Under this oath (known in Heraklian lore as the Oath of Zeus), the king of Heraklia and his warriors promised that they would only ever take up arms to defend their lands and that they would devote the rest of their lives to build a great city around their fortress: thus was the city of Heraklia founded, under the joint tutelage of its two major patron deities: Ares, lord of war and Zeus, god of rulership. As every Heraklian boy is taught from the earliest age, the Oath of Zeus only bound Heraklion and his men – but not their sons and other descendants, for Zeus, in his divine wisdom, knew full well that “the arts of war and the love of battle run in the very blood of all Heraklians”.
Places of Interest
The Colossus of Heraklia is an impressive, 100-foot tall bronze statue of an Heraklian warrior, complete with helmet, breastplate, shield and sword. He stands guard near the Hexagon as a solid symbol of Heraklia’s unconquered military might. Some legends say that the Colossus is actually a Titanic Statue who will animate itself to defend Heraklia should the city be in direct danger of being captured by enemy forces – something which, according to all Heraklian warriors, will never happen.
The Heraklium is the name of the royal palace, a massive, fortified building which looks more like a citadel than a palace – but this is the way the Kings of Heraklia like it. Indeed, the Heraklium is the original fortress of King Heraklion (see Founding Myth above), around which the city itself was established.
The House of Thunder is the name of the local temple of Zeus, while the equally magnificent temple of Ares is known as the House of War. Both buildings face the Heraklium – a pretty impressive sight, all in all.
The Hexagon is the name of a large, vaguely six sided plaza bordered by the Heraklium, the House of Thunder and the House of War. It acts as the city’s agora and is filled with huge statues of Heraklian kings and heroes of the past. Hexagons are often used by Heraklian artists and architects as abstract representations of might and power.
Notable Personages
King Thalos the Strong is a worldly warrior-king whose might in battle is as legendary as his fiery temper. He is also known for his largesse; Heraklian poets and courtiers often say their king is as generous with war and anger as he is with gifts andrewards. Despite being in his mid-fifties, King Thalos is still one of the strongest men of his kingdom. He is usually very hospitable with adventurers (especially warriors) and takes great delight in hearing a good tale of Minotaur-slaying or Manticore-hunting while drinking the finest vintage from his royal vineyards.
Prince Herion is King Thalos’ eldest son and heir apparent. Despite being fanatically loyal to his father and monarch, Herion has a very different temper: while Thalos is a proud, short-tempered, larger-than-life king, Herion is a very dignified and austere warrior, believing in military discipline above all things. Unlike his father (who has somehow always managed to maintain a form of political balance within the local aristocracy), Herion is a staunch supporter of the Shield faction. He is in his mid-thirties and already has several sons. He also has six younger brothers,stalwart warriors all; together, the sons of Thalos are often known as the Magnificent Seven of Heraklia.
King Thalos is also the uncle of Tharsus of Heraklia, one of Mythika’s greatest living heroes. Rumored to be the son of Zeus himself, Tharsus is even stronger than his uncle; he has been described by various Lyrists of Heraklia as “the epitome of might”, “the living embodiment of strength” or “the Lion of Heraklia”. Argosean Lyrists and Nobles also often refer to him as “the boar of Heraklia”, an ironic allusion to his brutish demeanor, uncouth manners and hairy body.
Thena the Golden
Cultural Overview
As befits to a city dedicated to the goddess Athena, Thena is a true center of civilization, learning and art. It is also a very well-defended city-state, with one of the finest armies in all Mythika. The favorite of Thenan Nobles is gold – the color of light and grandeur. Their favorite patron deities are Zeus, Athena, and Apollo.
Current Affairs
For the last fifteen years, Thena has been living an unprecedented political experience, at the initiative (and under the protection) of its current monarch, King Theseos, a hero of legendary stature and a very atypical ruler. During his early years of adventuring, Theseos had a reputation as a very ambitious and merciless warrior. Yet, when he was crowned after the death of his father King Aegeus, Theseos soon made himself known as a very liberal and bold ruler often favoring the interests of the common people over those of the local aristocracy.
Three years after his coronation, Theseos did the unthinkable: he abdicated most of his royal charges (except for the leadership of Thena’s army) and withdrew most of the authority of the local Nobles, leaving the reins of political power to the free citizens of Thena.
For fifteen years, the Assembly of the People (farmers, craftsmen, merchants) have been deciding of the politics of Thena, as well as of the use of an important part of the treasury and for fifteen years, many local Nobles have been plotting against Theseos, to stop once and for all this "democratic nonsense." So far, thanks to the vigilance of Theseos and his plebeian supporters - including the entire army of Thena, whose soldiers have always shown a complete and unwavering loyalty toward their king these plots have always been foiled before they came to fruition.
Founding Myth
According to its historians, the city of Thena was founded more than three centuries ago, at the dawn of the Age of Heroes, by the great hero Letos, who became its first king. At that time, Letos was in his late fifties, with a lifetime of heroic exploits, quests and adventures behind him. His greatest deeds were recorded by his friend Cleos, himself a Lyrist of extraordinary talent, in his epic poem the Letiad, one of the most famous works of Minean literature. According to the city’s oldest records, the first citizens of Thena were refugees from an older city known as Thuria. The great city of Thuria had been destroyed during the Age of Magic and whose ruins had become infested with Lamiae, Sons of Cecrops, Serpent Folk and other evil ophidian creatures under the rule of a very powerful Serpent Sorcerer known as Thulsos.
Under the protection and command of Letos, the Thurian survivors eventually managed to defeat and exterminate Thulsos’ reptilian minions and build a new city on the ruins of Old Thuria. Letos named the new city Thena in homage to his patron deity, the goddess Athena, whose divine intervention had played a decisive part in the final defeat of Thulsos.
In return, Athena placed a special blessing upon the city, granting wisdom in peace and war to all its future rulers. So far, all Thenan kings have lived up to the reputation of this divine prophecy, but King Theseos’ bold political reforms have given a new, controversial dimension to this old story : while Theseos’ fervent supporters take Athena’s blessing as a guarantee and proof of their king’s wisdom (some of them even think that the goddess herself inspired Theseos’ decisions as a way of testing the possibility of a “new society”, built on wisdom and freedom), some of his detractors are using Athena’s prophecy as a propaganda tool, implying that Theseos’ “unwise” rulership will soon attract Athena’s divine anger on the city unless someone stops this nonsense right now.
But let’s get back to the distant, legendary past. During his reign, King Letos the Just was often advised by Cleos the Lyrist, who proved to be the wisest of counselors and helped to make Apollo one of the three tutelary deities of Thena. King Letos died at the very venerable age of 110, after more than half a century of peace. It is said that Athena herself descended from the heavens to escort his soul not to the Elysian Fields but to Olympus itself, where the great king joined the goddess’ personal honor guard. His old friend Cleos the Lyrist composed his last song, the Eulogy for Letos, which he performed at the King’s funeral and died peacefully the following day, just before dawn.
Places of Interest
The Akropolis: is the name of the hill where the most important buildings of the city are located, including the palace and the temples of Athena, Apollo and Zeus. This majestic site is one of the great architectural wonders of the Three Cities.
The Royal Palace: The two most impressive buildings on the Akropolis are the Royal Palace, with its magnificent statues, mosaics and frescoes, and the temple of Athena, called the Athenon, the greatest (in every sense of the term) temple ever dedicated to this goddess.
The Poets' Plaza: is a special agora located near the temple of Apollo, on the Akropolis: here, Lyrists and poets from the Three Cities congregate to swap stories, recite their latest compositions or even take part in oratory jousts, musical contests and poetic duels – before one of the most attentive and demanding audience of the known world.
The Akademia: is a unique place of learning and knowledge where young men study literature, law, philosophy and other liberal arts under the tuition of some of Mythika’s wisest scholars. In other words, it is the University of Thena – as well as the only university in Mythika. Its great white buildings are located at the foot of the Akropolis, overlooked by the majestic temples of Athena and Apollo.
Notable Personages
King Theseos is the current ruler of Thena – a great hero, a superb warrior and a somewhat controversial ruler.
Thena is also home to many illustrious personages, such as General Periklos, military commander and strategist extraordinaire (as well as Theseos’ most loyal supporter), the venerable philosopher Zenon, whose bold theories about the true nature of the Universe have caused much agitation within the Akademia, or the divinely-inspired Bilitis, Mythika’s greatest female Lyrist and poetess, famous for her melancholic elegies and erotic poetry.
Queen Phaedra, Theseos’ second wife, is in her early thirties. Born on the island of Seriphos, Phaedra has never felt at home in Thena and rarely appears in public; her distant and haughty ways have not made her very popular with commoners, who often see her as a cold, aloof queen. Phaedra has been married to Theseos for more than 10 years but has never given birth to a child; according to some rumors, the queen’s sterility has poisoned her marriage with Theseos and there is now little love left between them. Those who are better informed know that, back in his adventuring days, Theseos had a crush on Phaedra’s sister, princess Ariadne of Seriphos, but nobody talks about these things anymore (at least not in the royal palace).
King Theseos does have a legitimate heir: his son Prince Hippolytos (now in his mid-teens), born to his first wife, the Amazon princess Antiope, who died giving him birth a few years before Theseos met Phaedra (and Ariadne!) on Seriphos. Those who have known Theseos in his childhood say the young prince looks exactly like him. He also seems to have inherited his father’s bravery and prowess, along with his Amazon mother’s reckless and rebellious temper.
His relationship with his stepmother is stormy (to say the least, especially since Queen Phaedra has begun to develop an (unwilling) crush on her stepson (who looks so much like his father when he was young), a guilty, shameful feeling which she tries to conceal behind a mask of cold contempt for Hippolytos. Since Theseos himself has little time to devote to his son, Hippolytos spends most of his time in the outdoor, riding and charioteering.
